The present invention relates to a modular processing device and a method of use. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modular cooking device and a method of use.
In various situations it is necessary to process objects of different sizes or composition. The nature of the objects often affects the conditions under which the items are processed. It is often desirable to process objects having different sizes or compositions simultaneously or sequentially.
For example, when cooking food items such as pizza, it is desirable to use a single oven to cook pizzas having a variety of sizes. It is also desirable to cook pizzas having a variety of dough configurations, such as thin crust, thick crust and stuffed, in a single oven. However, each pizza size and dough configuration requires individual cooking parameters to provide the cooked product with optimal characteristics.
In light of the foregoing, it is necessary for a person putting the pizza into the oven to enter the specific cooking parameters into the oven as each pizza is placed in the oven. It can be appreciated that errors can occur in such a process, and an operator can inadvertently enter the wrong parameters. When this happens the pizza emerges from the cooking process undercooked or overcooked thereby requiring the defectively cooked pizza to be discarded. Another pizza must then be prepared and cooked. Delays associated with these errors frequently lead to customer complaints because of the increased waiting time between ordering the pizza and being able to consume the pizza.
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a multi-technology oven for processing an item. The multi-technology oven has a plurality of processing modules mounted therein. The plurality of processing modules is removably mounted in the multi-technology oven. The individual modules are operable alone or as a group comprising more than one of the processing modules.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of processing items. The method includes providing a processing device having an entry port and an exit port. A plurality of processing modules is removably mounted in the processing device. The items are moved through the processing device from the entry port to the exit port. The operation of the plurality of processing modules is controlled at selected locations to affect processing of the items.